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Frequently Asked Questions

What is NYU Open Education?

“Open education,” also known as "open courseware," describes the concept of sharing educational resources freely around the world to anyone who is interested and has an Internet connection. New York University is currently making a few exceptional NYU courses freely available as part of the NYU Open Education Pilot, and expects to offer an expanded selection of courses and services when the full service fully launches.

What courses are offered through NYU Open Education?

The Open Education Pilot is launching with two courses, with more to be added in the next phase. A full list of available course offerings is maintained at: http://www.nyu.edu/academics/open-education/courses.html.

Can I take an Open Education course in another language?

Some (though not all) of the video lectures available through NYU Open Education have been closed captioned, which can be translated into a wide variety of other languages when viewed on NYU’s YouTube channel. Visit an individual lecture page to see if a Translation section appears under the video; if so, click that link to open a YouTube version of the video. Hold your mouse over the red CC button at the bottom right of the video and click on “Translate Captions,” then select your preferred language and click OK.

NYU hopes to create translatable closed captions for all Open Education lectures in the future. In the meantime, there are also approximately 200 closed captioned videos featuring speakers, class events, topic discussions, and faculty interviews available via NYU’s YouTube channel.

Will I receive a certificate, diploma, credits, grades, or any other confirmation from NYU if I complete a course?

No, NYU Open Education courses are offered as a way to freely share knowledge, but are not graded, credit-bearing, or part of any NYU degree or diploma program. If you wish to take an NYU continuing education course for credit, see NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

How much does it cost to take an NYU Open Education course, and are there any pre-requisites?

All NYU Open Education courses are offered for free, and anyone, anywhere may take any of the courses.

Can I start and finish taking a course any time, or is there a set schedule?

NYU Open Education courses are self-guided, and do not involve formal assignments, meeting times, or interaction with the professor. You may start taking one or more courses at any time, and watch lectures and complete readings at your own pace. If you wish to talk with other students taking the same course, you may choose to create or join a study group on OpenStudy (see below).

How do I enroll in and begin taking an NYU Open Education course?

There is no need to formally enroll in any NYU Open Education course; you can start and finish lectures and readings at any time without informing NYU or the instructor. To begin taking an NYU Open Education Course, click the link for the course that interests you on the Courses web page. The page that opens provides a description of the course on the left, and links to individual lectures on the right. On each lecture page, you will find a video of the lecture, along with readings, translations, and post-lecture notes (if available), and links to websites where you can share your feedback about the lecture (see “Can I communicate…” below).

Can I transfer course credits from an NYU Open Education course into a degree or diploma program at NYU or another college or University?

No, as stated above, NYU Open Education courses are not offered for credit or as part of any degree or diploma program.

Can I communicate with the instructor and/or other people who are taking the same course I am?

NYU Open Education courses are self-guided and freely available for everyone to take at their own pace, so formal interaction with the professor is generally not possible. If you wish to talk with other students taking the same course, you may wish to create or join a study group on OpenStudy (see below).

What is an OpenStudy study group?

You may see a “Join a Study Group” link on some lecture pages that brings you to the OpenStudy website. OpenStudy is a non-NYU social learning network where students can ask questions, give help, and connect with other students studying the same topic. If you wish, you can join a study group for your course on the OpenStudy site, or create a group yourself. The instructor of the course and NYU staff will not be involved with the formation or maintenance of these groups, but you may find that they enhance your NYU OpenEd class experience.

Is there an NYU Open Education course on learning to speak and write English (ESL)?

The NYU Open Education pilot does not currently offer any courses in English (ESL). For a full listing of courses that are currently available, see the Courses web page.